Zec 6:1-3, 6-7 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER VI The vision of the four chariots drawn by several sorts of horses , 1-8. The other vision in thus chapter may refer in its primary sense to the establishment of the civil and religious polity of the Jews under Joshua and Zerubbabel; but relates in a fuller sense, to the Messiah, and to that spiritual kingdom of which he was to be both king and high priest. In him all these types and figures were verified; on him all the promises are yea and amen , 9-15. NOTES ON CHAP. VI Verse 1. There came four chariots ] Four monarchies or empires. This is supposed to mean the same with the vision of the four horns , in . Mountains of brass. ] The strong barriers of God's purposes, which restrained those powers within the times and limits appointed by Jehovah.

‏ Zechariah 6:1-3

CHAPTER VI

The vision of the four chariots drawn by several sorts of horses, 1-8.

The other vision in thus chapter may refer in its primary sense to the establishment of the civil and religious polity of the Jews under Joshua and Zerubbabel; but relates in a fuller sense, to the Messiah, and to that spiritual kingdom of which he was to be both king and high priest. In him all these types and figures were verified; on him all the promises are yea and amen, 9-15.

NOTES ON CHAP. VI

Verse 1. There came four chariots] Four monarchies or empires. This is supposed to mean the same with the vision of the four horns, in Zec 1:18-21.

Mountains of brass.] The strong barriers of God's purposes, which restrained those powers within the times and limits appointed by Jehovah.

Verse 2. In the first chariot were red horses] The empire of the Chaldeans, which overthrew the empire of the Assyrians.

The second chariot black horses] The empire of the Persians founded by Cyrus, which destroyed the empire of the Chaldeans.

Verse 3. The third chariot white horses] The empire of the Greeks, founded by Alexander the Great, which destroyed the empire of the Persians.

The fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.] That is party-coloured horses; or with horses, some grisled and some bay. The empire of the Romans or of the Greeks. The Greeks divided after the death of Alexander; one part pointing out the Lagidae, who attacked and subdued Egypt; and the other, the Seleucidae, who subdued Syria under Seleucus.

‏ Zechariah 6:6-7

Verse 6. The black horses] This refers to the second chariot; of the first the angel makes no mention, because the empire designed by it had ceased to exist. This had red horses, to show the cruelty of the Chaldeans towards the Jews, and the carnage they committed in the land of Judea.

The black] Cyrus, at the head of the Persians and Medes, bringing devastation and death among the Chaldeans, called the north in many parts of Scripture.

The white] Alexander, who was splendid in his victories, and mild towards all that he conquered.

The grisled] The Lagidae or Ptolemies, who founded an empire in Egypt; of these some were good, some bad, some despotic, some moderate, some cruel, and some mild; represented by the party-coloured horses.

Verse 7. And the bay went forth] The Seleucidae, who conquered Syria and the upper provinces, and who wished to extend their conquests, and "sought to go, that they might walk to and fro throughout the earth," were of unbounded ambition, and sought universal empire; such as Antiochus the Great. "So they walked to and fro," did extend their conquests; and harassed many countries by their vexatious and almost continual wars. Some think the Romans are meant, who carried their conquests hither and thither, just as the Divine providence permitted them.